Pasteurizing device



sept. 18,1923. LMMQ@ R. O. STEARNS ET AL BASTEURIZING DEVICE Filed Feb, 1, 1922 0 (D @a c9 O 0 s @o 5) 0 O0@ JJ i j j Patented Sept. 18,` 1923.

UNrrED STATES Meara ,PA'raN'r cri-rice.

RALPH 0. STEAVBNS, F WINTHROP, AND DANIELE. MeGBAW, 0F NORTH LWRENCE,

NEW

YORK.

rAsTEUaIzING DEVICE.-

Application led February 1, 1922. Serial No. 533,256.

To all 'whomz't may' concern Be it known that we, RALPH S'rnARNs and DANIEL E. MCGRAW, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at

Winthrop and Northa Lawrence, vin the county of St. Lawrence, State of New York,

have invented certainrnewv and useful vImprovements 1n Pasteurizmg Devices, of

Y which the following is a description, refer-` ence being had to the accompanying drawing. and to the figures of reference marked thereon. v

This invention relates to pasteurizing devices or milk, Whey, skimmed milk or any 113 liquid by-product of milk, and 'more particularly to such device wherein steam 1s used as the pasteurizing means.

At the present time it is illegal toy pasteurize Huid milk to be shipped to the con- 2@ sumer by the pasteurization process in which the steam is brought into direct contact with the-milk. However, several State laws relating to the pasteurization of whey and skimmed milk which are returned from the cheese factories to they farmers merely require that the skimmed milk or the like be heated to a temperature of not less than one hundred and fifty degrees. (150) F.

The present invention has for its object Ma pasteurizing device, for instance, such as could be used by a cheese maker to pasteur# ize his milk before its manufacture into cheese, there being'no particular objection as so usedwith the steam coming into contact with the milk, because the increased yield would more than pay the adequate ex pense ofV pasteurizing, and sincel it would be perfectly legal since the condensed steam going into ,the milk and changing into water and would `run oli' with the vWhey,

just as the water does atthe present time.l

One of the main objects o'f'the present invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive pasteurizer for the above purpose.-`

`Another object of this invention is to provide a pasteurizer of the type described 'in which the whey or skimmed milk is brought Vinto direct and intimate contact with steam so that each particle of whey or the like is thoroughly absorbed.

Still another objectof this invention is to provide a simple type.' of pasteurizer provided with a' steam chamber and with means for. introducing whey or the like into the steam chamber, andwithvmeans for finally dividing the whey so that the steam will come` intodirect contact with minute particles of the whey, this latter means being constructed and arranged to prevent the escape of steam from the steam chamber.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved process for so pasteurizing the whey, skimmed milkiand the like. These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed. v Referring now particularly to the accompanying drawings The figure represents a sectional elevation Vof one embodiment of my pasteuri'zing apparatus.

In general, the apparatus embraces any type of casing providing therein a steam chamber with a steam inlet thereto. Preferably the steam is admitted into the steam chamber in the form of very fine jets. In addition to the steam inlet, the chamber is alsov provided with a whey or skimmed milk inlet, 'and a discharge outlet for the pasteurized product. In the steam chamber between the whey inlet and ydischarge is disposed means for breaking up the whey 'into minute or nely divided lparticles so that in passing through the steam or steam jets, ,each particle of whey is brought into inltimate contact with the steam-to thoroughly pasteurize the same. Preferably this means is in the form of a series of perforated baiile plates arranged between the whey inlet and discharge so that the whey passes through first one and then another, and then through the steam chamber and finally through the baiile plate or plates before being the steam chamber forms a 1i uid seal to prevent the escape of steam in elther direction. The condensed steam passes 'out y With the whey or vskimmedmilk in the form of water. Referring now more particularly to 'the accompanying drawings, the invention com-- prises preferably a cylindrical Vcasing 1 ofN brass or any other' material flanged at the top as at 2 to receive a topv 3, preferably bolted on to liange 2 as at 4. This top' is provided with a whey or skimmed milk inlet 5A inthe form of a' pipe andlagsrteam in?"V let 6 in the form of a. smaller pipe. Connected to the steam inlet 6 within the casing is another ypipe 7 which preferably curves from one side as shown in the drawin to the central axis of the cylinder where it 1s exteriorly threaded as at 8. This pipe 7 at its inner end is connected with a larger pipe 9 by means of a threaded collar 10 and a theaded joint 11. The pipe 9 which, in fact, constitutes a sort of steam drum, is closed at its lower end by means of a threaded cap 12. The steam drum 9 is provided with a plurality of small holes or perforations 10 to permit the steam to jet out into the surrounding casing 1.

Means is provided in the casing 1 for breaking up the whey as it passes through the chamber. Preferably this means is constructed as a series of baiileplates 13, 14 and 15 arranged between the inlet 5 and a discharge outlet 16 at the bottom of casing l. These plates may be secured in any desired manner and extend entirely across the casing to prevent the Whey from passing therethrough except through perforations 17 therein. These perforations 17 in each of the plates perform at least two important functions. For instance, the perforations in the plate 13 divide the whey or skimmed milk into minute particles. rl`he bailie plate 14 further divides the Whey so that each particle or drop will surely be heated to the correct temperature while passing the jets discharging from the perforations 10 in the steam drum 9. T he baille plate 15 further retards the iiow of whey through the steam .chamber 1 so that the w-hey will surely be reheated tothe required temperature of one hundred and iifty degrees (1500) F. In addition to these functions, the plates 13 and 15 have a further function of forming a liquid seal to prevent the escape of steam. For instance, the whey as it passes through the perforation 17 in the plates 13 and 14 will most e'ectively prevent the steam escaping upwardly and through the discharge 5. lf steam were allowed jto pass through the baille plate 13,the iloW of whey through inlet 5 would in some instances be stopped at 5. Likewise, the whey escaping through the perforations 17 .of the baiile plate 15 forms a liquid seal to -milk in passing through the casing 1 from the inlet 5 to the discharge 16 is intimately broken up into small particles or drops which pass through the stea'n chamber or Zone where the steam jets discharging from the perforations 10 thoroughly heat these particles to the required pasteurizing temperature. At the same time, the liquid seal preventsl theV escape of steam and permits the condensed steam to pass out of the discharge 16 in the form of water with the whey.

It is obvious that thc invention contemplates various different means and designs of apparatus for carrying out this process, and furthermore, that the present type of apparatus is not restricted to the specific arrangement of steam jets and baiiie plates. For instance. it is within the contemplation of this invention to` inject the whey or skimmed milk in the tinely divided form into the steam jets. lt is also within the scope of this invention to dispose the baiile plates or other dividing means in other relations to the steam jets. The apparatus disclosed for carrying out this process is simple, economical and easy to assemble and apply to the apparatus in the existing cheese factories and creameries.

lt is obvious that minorchanges in the details of construction and the arrangement' .in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is-

1. The process of pasteurizing liquid whey, skimmed milk and the like, comprising breaking up the liquid into nely divided particles and subjecting the same to the direct action of steam while in such finely divided condition at a temperature sufficient to pasteurize the liquid while preserving its liquid condition.

2. The process of pasteurizing whey, skimmed milk or the like comprising breaking up the substance into iinely divided particles and subjecting the same to the direct action of steam while in such finely divided condition at a temperature of approxjrs imatelyone hundred and fifty degrees Fahi renheit.

A device for pasteurizing whey, skimmed milk and the like comprising a steam chamber, means for introducing steam thereinto, means for'introducingthe whey and the like into said chamber, and means therein for finely dividing said whey in the presence ofthe steam, and means .for discharging said liquid whey together with the condensed steam. 4

4. A device .for pasteurizing Whey, skimmed milk and the like comprising a steam chamber, meansfor introducing whey and the like into said chamber, and baffles in said chamber for finely dividing said wheyi in the presence of the steam and means for discharging the liquid Whey therefrom.

5. A device for pasteurizing whey, skimmed milk and the like comprising a steam chamber, means for introducing steam into said chamber, means for introducing whey and the like into said chamber, and means in said chamber for finely dividin said whey in the presence of the steam, sai means preventing the escape of the steam from said chamber.

6. A device for pasteurizing whey, skimmed milk and the like, comprising a steam chamber having a steam inlet and a Whey inlet and a discharge outlet, a plurality of plates disposed in said chamber and interposed inthe path of travel of said whey from said inlet to saiddischarge outlet, said lates being constructed and arranged to su ject minute portions of said whey to 15 the direct action of the steam.

7. A device for pasteurizing whey,

i skimmed milk and the like, comprising a cylinder having a Whey inlet and discharge at its opposite ends, a steam inlet at the whey inlet end of the cylinder; a perforated A steam drum within the cylinder, a pipe connecting the steam inlet with said steam drum, a plurality of baffle plates separating the space in the cylinder surrounding the steam drum from the inlet end of the cy'linder, Yand a suitable number of baille plates separating the steamdrum `from the discharge end ofthe cylinder, said bale plates having a suitable number of small perforations in and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures. RALPH 0. STEARNS.

, DANIEL E. MCGRAW 

